Recipe: Grilled Packet Potatoes

Eating anything from a packet of foil off the grill brings back fond memories of camping with my grandpa Ted. We made everything from trout fresh out of the stream, to a tortilla chip version of Frito Pie with a can of bonfire-hot canned chili. Of course, it's a fun presentation, but grilling in foil is also a super efficient way to cook. You can parse out servings, keep flavors distinct (go ahead and grill fish at the same time!), and leftovers are take-to-work ready.

There are a million ways to flavor these guys. You can go the traditional route with chopped rosemary and garlic, or sprinkle them with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. I bet they would be amazing with a piece of prosciutto laid across the top.

I ended up not cooking these potatoes with any herbs, rather I just sprinkled them with some chopped flat-leaf parsley from my garden at the end. Recently I cleaned out my spice drawer and counted up ten different jars of flavored salts. So for this dish, I used some Piri Piri chili salt that I really love on meats, from a company called The Chili Lab.

I also had a beautiful bouquet of garlic scapes from my CSA box, so I put a raw scape in each packet. They were sweet and tender, and gave my guests a little surprise when we opened the foil packets. You can substitute a scallion for the scape.

You can also use whole garlic cloves, skins intact. You will essentially have a soft roasted garlic clove to spread across the potatoes or on a piece of bread.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper.

Bring a pot of water large enough to accommodate the potatoes to a boil. Cook the potatoes until they give a little when pierced with a knife, 5 to 7 minutes. Place a spoonful of the water in the mixing bowl with the other ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine. The hot water should help break up the honey.

Drain the potatoes and toss them to coat with the honey mixture.

Prepare four 12-inch squares of foil. Divide the potatoes between the squares and top with the garlic scapes, scallions or garlic cloves. Close the packets, sealing the tops to form a package.

When the fire is ready, place the foil packets on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning and shaking every few minutes. You'll need long metal tongs or fire gloves. Test a potato off the grill by carefully opening the packet and piercing one piece with the tip of a pairing knife. It should be tender but not too soft.